Air and water discharge valve for radiators.



F. W. LBUTHESSER. AIR AND WATER DISGHARGE VALVE FOR EADIATORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1909.

Patented Mar.29, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I. W. LEUTHESSER. AIR AND WATER DISCHARGE VALVE EOE EADIATORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 18, 1909.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

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3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

Patented Ma1.29, 1910.

FRED W. LEUTHESSER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AIR AND WATER DISCHARGE VALVE FOR RADIATORS.

ascesa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2e, 1910'.

Application lcd December 18, 1909. Serial No. 533,801.

To all whom 'it may concern:

y Be it known that l, Flinn ll'. linU'riinssnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air and Tater Diss charge Valves for Radiators, of which the following is a specification.

The valve ofthe present invention is intended to be attached to the return end of a steam radiator, for the purpose of discharging air and water of condensation from the radiator without permitting the escape vof a material volume of steam.

The 'present valve is of the type which em.- ploys a float :tor the purpose of regulating the discharge et the water of condensation; and the principal object or" the invention is to protect the float from agitation due to the inrusli of water by surrounding the float with an inner shell which lies intermediate the inlet passage and the float, so that the Water admitted to the interiorof the valve will be more or less distributed around the inner shell prior toits admission to the interior of the shell, which constitutes aprotective float chamber and serves to guard the float against mechanical agitation and the noise occasioned thereby.

A further object of the invention is to so form the upper edge of the inner shell,.by Hanging the same, that the flange will serve as a sott metal gasket or packing interposed between the upper edge of the valve casing and the cover and aiord a tight seal against the escape of steam or air at the joint. Another object of the invention is to so arrange the interior mechanism of the valve that the parts may be readily assembled or disassembled, as occasion may require. Further objects will appear from a detailed description of the invention, whichconsists in theea- 'tures of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings. Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one formvof the valve; Fig. 2, a cross sectional view of the inner shell, 'taken near the center thereof; Fig. 3, a sectional elevation of a valve, similar in all respects to the valve of E ig. 1, except for the addition of a baille plate in the inlet passage; and Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of a valve, similar to Fig. l, with the exception that the inlet passage is located near the top of the valve instead of near the bottom. l

The valve as a whole comprises a casing 5 l of generally cylindrical shape` which is open l at its upper end, and is provided around its I rim with a flange G outwardly projected at l suitable points to aiiord ears 7 which are adapted to register with similar ears 8 formed around the rim ofa cover 9. In the valve of Figs. 1 and 2 the casing is provided, on one side at its lower end, with a laterally extending tubular neck 1 0, which 'furnishes an inlet passage 11 communicating with a. dished pocket l2 formed in the bottom of the casing. The wall ofthe pocket on the inner side extends upward and terminates in a flat floor 13, which is provided in its center with a tapped hole 14 which extends down to and merges into a discharge chamber 15, which discharge chamber eon'nnunicates with an outlet passage 1G formed in a neck 17 which depends from the casing.

The valve of Fig. 2 is further provided with a baille plate 18, which extends down part way into the dished pocket and serves to throw down dirt or sediment into the pocket, from which it may be blown out through a. by-pass 1.) which is controlled by means of a tapered by-pass valve 20 on the end of an adjustable stem 21, which extends laterally through and projects out from the side of the lower end of the casing. lithin the casing is located an elongated cupshapcd inner shell 22, the lower end 23 of which is flattened and rests upon the dat floor of a casing, to which it is clamped by means of a valve plug 24 provided at'its lower end with a shoulder 25 which bears against' the inner side of the cup-shaped inner shell, and the lower end 26 of the valve plug is of reduced diameter and threaded into the hole in the floor of the asing center, with a vertically extending water outlet. port 27, which is enlarged at its upper end 28 to permit the discharge of water from the interior of the inner shell around the tubular valveA member 29 which seats against the rim or mouth of the contracted portion of the water outlet port 27. The

gated float 30, which is provided at its upper end with an upwardly extending tubu` lar memberturnishing an air inlet port 31, which tubular member operates within a is screw-threaded through the center of the cover'. The tubular member lits loosely 'lhe valve plug is provided, through its tubular valve memberis carried by an elon-.

guide recess 32 formed in a plug 33 whichv within thel guide recess, so that air may pass up around the tubular member andv down therethrough, and into and through the float without diiiiculty.

In order to admit air to the interior of the casing, one or more air inlet holes 34 are provided near the upper end of the inner shell,and in order to admit water to the interior of the casing, one or more water inlet holes 35 are provided, which are preferably located at 'a point slightly below the line of flotation of the float. y

The upper end of the inner shell is provided with an outwardly extending annular lange 36 which is interposed betweenthe upper edge or lrim of the casing and the superimposed cover, and is clamped between the two members by means of bolts 37 which are entered through the register ears formed on the Vcasing and cover respectively. The inner shell is preferably made of a relatively soft metal, like copper, so that this inteiposed flange will furnish a soft metal packing or gasket, tightly sealing. the joint against the escape oi@` air or steam at this point. The arrangement, furthermore, serves to rigidly hold and clamp the upper end of the inner shell in position.

The valve of Fig. lis similar in all ,respects to the valve of Fig. 1, except for the fact that it `is provided with an inlet passage 38 located near the top of the casing instead of near the bottom, as in the other figures. Y

The operation" of the several forms of valves is substantially the same, except for ist the fact that the valves of Figs. l and 3,

which have the inlet below the line of flotation of the float, furnish a water seal between the inlet passage and the point of disviously, however, the valve of Fig. 4 could be attached, by suitable piping, to furnish a seal between the radiator and the point of discharge for the air, if such a seal were found desirable or necessary.

In the operation of all of the valves above dcscribed,vthe steam entering the radiator will drive the air before it, and this air, passing through-the inlet passage, will find its way tothe top of the casing and through the air inlet holes inthe inner shell, whence it will pass through the tubular air inlet port carried Vby the float, and down through the float and through the tubular valve member to-the oint of discharge. After the air has been riven out, steam will enter the casing and ass to the interior` of the inner shell. moist and denser than the air, will have' its escape retarded by the smallness of the passageway alforded by the air inlet port at the top of the float, so that'no material volume of steam will escape. As water of conden- T e steam, however, beingy rior of themshell, ut the current of water will be directed against the inner shell and not against the float., so that the float will be guarded against agitation due t`o the inrush of water, and the valve will be enabled to operate noiselessly, which is a matter of much importance, especially in hospitals, schools, lecture halls, or sleeping apartments. As the water rises in the bottom of the casing, it'will ilowthrough theholes in the inner shell until water has risen to a suilicient height to lift the float by liotation, thereby -permitting some of the water to be discharged through the water outlet port and through the outlet passage which is connected to the return pipe of the system.

The arrangement of the inner shell is of importance, in that it not onlv protects the float against agitation but also eliminates the necessity for providino` restrictedsageways cored in the wall of the casing, which method of forming thevvalve is objectionable, for the reason that such restricted passageways are diicult of access kand frequently become clogged during the operation of the valve, and their formation is such that clean-in is' frequently dilicult or impossible. In t e case of the present valve, the water is delivered to the inner shell, which constitutes the float chamber roper, at a point considerably above the inlet passage, and this without the formation of any restricted assages in the shell. The inner shell is rigi ly clam ed and held both at the top and bottom, an at the same time the method of-securii-ig the shell is one which enables it to be quickly inserted in place or removed, sothat easy access can be hadto every portion of the valve, for: the

purpose of cleaning and repair, and at the' sa es.

claim:

1. In a valve of the class described, th combination of a casing rovided with an inlet passage and a disc arge passage, a float within the casing, for governing vthe discharge passage,fan inner shell surroundingthe float providedwith a water inlet hole midway of its length and below the line of dotation of the ioat, and with an air inlet opening adjacent to its upper end, and having an imperforate body below the water in et openin 'and between vthe water inlet opening an the air inlet opening and s'ecured to the bottom of the casing, a ca or -cover for closing the open upper end o the casing and inner shell, and means for 'discharging the air, substantially as described. 2. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with an sol ' midway ot its length and below the line ot` inlet passage and a 'discharge passage, a l per end of the, inner shell, the valve member iloat within the casing, for governing the g depending .from the tleat ldischarge passage, an inner shell surroundl when lowered to close the water outlet port,

ing the float provided with a water inlet hole midway of its length and below the line of flotation ot' the lloat, and with an air inlet opening adjacent to its upper end, and havil'ig an imperforate body below the water inlfet opening and between the water inlet opening and the air inlet opening and secured to the bottom of the casing, a cap or cover for closing the open upper end. ot the easing and inner shell, and means for discharging the air through the float, substantially as described.

ln a 'valve of the class described. the con'ibination of a casing provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a float within the casing, for goveri'iing the discharge passage, an inner shell surrounding the tloat provided with a water vinlet hole flotation of the float, and with an air inlet opening adjacent to its upper end, and having an ii'npcrt'oratc body below the water inlet opening and between the water inlet opening and the air inlet opening and secured to the bottom ot' the casing, and provided at its upper end with an outwardly extending flange, a cap or cover for closing the open upper end ot the casing and shell and adapted to clamp and secure the flange on the inner shell, and means for dischargp ing the air, substantially as described.

Il. In a valve of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a float within the easing, for governing the discharge passage, an inner shell surrounding the floatprovided with a water inlet hole midway of its length and below the line of llotation of the float, and with an air inlet opening adjacent to its upper end, and/having an impertorate body below the water inlet opening` and between the water inlet opening and the. air inlet opening and seemed to the bottom ot the easing, and provided at'its upper ond with an outwardly extending flange, a ca i or cover-for closing the open upper end ot the casing and shell and adapted to clamp and secure the flange` on the inner shell, and means t'or discharging the air through the l'loal, substantially as described. y

5.' ln a valve ot the class described, the eon'il'lination ot' a casing provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a float within the casing, a valve member depending trom the float, an inner shell surrotmding the tloat and provided with a water inlet hole and an air inlet hole, a shouldered valve plug communicating with the discharge passageand serving to clamp the inner shell to the tloor ot the casmg, and provided with a water outlet port, a cover clamping the up:

being adapted and meansl t'or discharging the air, substantially as described.

(l. In a valve ot the class described, the combination oft" a Acasing provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a floatI within the easing, a valve member depending iti-om the float, an inner shell surrounding the tloat.and provided with a water inlet hole and an air inlet hole, a shouldered valve plug. I.conununicating with the' discharge passage and serving to clamp the inner shell to the lloor of4 the casing, and provided with a water outlet port, a cover clamping the upper end ot the inner shell, the tubular valve member depending from the lloat connnunicating with the interior ot' the tloat, and adapted when lowered to close the water outlet port against the escape of 'ater, and a member at the upper end oiE the tloat, `furnishing an air inlet port to the interior of the float, substantially as described.

7. 1n a valve of the class described, the combination of a. casing provided with an inletI passage and a discharge passage, a float within the casing,-a valve member depending from the float, an inner shell surrounding the float and provided with a water inlet hole and an air inlet hole, a shouldered valve plug communicating with the discharge passage, and serving to clamp the inner shell to the loor of the casing, and provided with a water outlet port, a cover clamping the upper end of the inner shell, the tubular valve member depending from the lloat communicating with the interior of the float, and adapted when lowered to close the water outlet port against the escapo ot' water, a tubular guide member at the upperl end of the float, furnishing` an air inlet port to the interior of the float, and a recessed guide plug entered through the cover andserving to guide the tubular guide member, substantiall y as described.

8. In a valve of the class described, the combination 1of a casing provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a float within the casing, a valve member depending from the float, an inner shell surrounding the float and provided with a water inlet hole and an air inlet hole, and provided at its upper end with an outwardly extending flange, a. shouldered valve plug communieating with the discharge passage and serving to clamp the inner shell to the tloor of the casing, and provided'with a water outlet port, a cover clamping the flange at the upper end of the shell, the valve member depending from the float being adapted when lowered to close the water outlet port, and means for discharging the air, substantially' as described.

9. In a valve of the class described, the combinationof a casing provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a float Within the casing, a valve member depending from the float, an inner shell surrounding the float and lprovided With a Water inlet hole and an air inlet hole, and provided at its upper end With an outwardly eXtend- 1 ing flange, a shouldered valve plugcommunicating with lthe dischargeA passage and serving to clamp the inner shell to the floor of the casing, and provided with a -.Water outlet port, a cover clamping the flange at the upper end of the shell, the tubular valve member depending from Jthe float communicating with the interior of the oat, and adapted when lowered to close the Water outlet port against the escape of Water, and a memberat the upper end of the float, furnishing an air inlet port to the interior of the float, substantially as described.

l0. Ina valve of the class described, the

combination of -a casing-provided with an inlet passage and a discharge passage, a float Within the casing, a valve member depending from the Hoet, an inner shell surrounding the float and provided with a Water inlet hole, and provided at its upper end with an outwardly extending flange, a 'shouldered escape of Water, a tubular guide member at the upper end of the float, furnishing an air inlet port to the interior of the float, and a recessed guide plug entered through the cover and serving to guide the tubular guide member, substantially as described.

' FRED W. 'LEUTHESSER Witnesses:

SAMUEL W. BANNING, EPHRAIM BANNING. 

